Tumours force FA Cup final assistant referee Dan Robathan into medical retirement

Dan Robathan’s elite refereeing career ends after spinal tumour diagnosis

Dan Robathan has been forced to medically retire from football officiating after surgeons discovered two benign tumours in his spine, ending a career that reached its peak at the 2025 FA Cup final.

Robathan had spent 28 years climbing the officiating ladder after first taking up the flag at the age of 10. He went on to work at more than 200 Premier League matches and World Cup qualifiers before being selected as an assistant referee for the FA Cup final between Crystal Palace and Manchester City in May 2025.

He described that occasion as “a privilege to stand there on behalf of over 37,000 referees across the country”. At the time, there was little outward sign that his career was about to change dramatically.

Symptoms initially appeared routine

Robathan initially believed symptoms including pain, sexual dysfunction and bladder problems were caused by sciatica or the physical demands of refereeing. By September, however, he knew something was seriously wrong. A neurosurgeon told him that scans had revealed two spinal tumours.

“It was compressing nerves,” Robathan said. “There was a chance it could affect a motor nerve which means it could affect function in my leg.” He was instructed to return home, lie down and avoid movement for 15 days as his life “turned upside down overnight”.

Surgeons removed one of the tumours and left the other in place because it was considered safe to do so. Although the growths were non-cancerous, the operation and resulting nerve damage left Robathan facing a difficult recovery.

A fight to return that could not be won

By Christmas, Robathan was still fatigued and struggling to lift his heel, walk properly or feel his calf. He said doctors gave him less than a 10% chance of returning to the field, but he remained determined to prove them wrong.

“I fought like mad,” he said. “My body just can’t do what I want it to do.” He still has days when walking is difficult and describes his back as feeling “on fire”. The physical limitations ultimately made a return to elite officiating impossible, leaving him to accept that the decision had effectively been made for him.

“It’s a loss of identity”

Robathan said stepping away from refereeing has been psychologically painful after spending most of his life known as “Dan the ref”. He is working with a psychologist while considering whether there is a future for him elsewhere in football.

“It’s a loss of identity,” he said. “I’ve been ‘Dan the ref’ since I was 10 years old. It’s 28 years of being who I am, it’s my personality.”

The 38-year-old now wants to prioritise his son, fiancée and stepchildren, while using his experience to encourage men to speak openly about their health and mental wellbeing. He hopes to advocate for men’s mental health and says helping even one or two people would make the next stage of his life worthwhile.

“I need to get that fire in my belly,” Robathan said as he considers what comes next.